Why the Hormuz Crisis Is Raising Concerns About the Malacca Strait

Disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have raised concerns about vulnerabilities in another critical maritime corridor half a world away. The Strait of Malacca — a narrow stretch of water between Indonesia and Malaysia that funnels trade past Singapore — carries more than a fifth of global maritime trade and is the world’s busiest chokepoint.

Long seen as a strategic vulnerability — particularly by China, which relies heavily on the route for energy imports — the strait has come into sharper focus following the effective shutdown of Hormuz by Iran in response to US and Israeli military attacks. While the Malacca Strait is governed by international rules guaranteeing free passage, concern spread after a top Indonesian official briefly floated the idea of transit tolls.